Politics influencing indiscipline in schools

After the burning of dormitories at Nyamache Boys in Kisii County, the Kisii County Head Teachers’ Association chairman stated that politicians could have played a role.

Just like a rotten apple can spoil the whole barrel, seeing their peers set alight their schools with no repercussions means that the burning of dormitories in boarding schools has spread across the country.

These thousands of young children; for they are children; are destroying the facilities that educate them, to make a point in regard to their education. Apparently, they have accepted that the only way to address a grievance is by destroying something.

Albert Bandura was the first to develop a theory that encompasses how young people and children learn actions and behaviours simply through observation.

In his Social Learning Theory, Bandura argues learning can occur purely through observation, or through direct instruction. It’s instructive then to bear this in mind when considering the effect of the sort of politics displayed by opposition politicians.

The behaviour learned and adopted especially in self-expression at a young age also sets a young person's ideas, values and ultimately shapes how they relate with the greater society.

A public display of anti-social behaviour, politics of threats and purely violent intent in the name of political protest will certainly shape the sort of young minds exposed to this.

As NCIC chairman Francis Ole Kaparo said, “Stop blaming students when they burn dormitories; blame yourselves.”
The NCIC Chairman has a point. It is actually quite absurd to create violence, burn, loot and then justify using such unconstitutional means to eject constitutional office bearers by claiming that demonstrating in such a manner is a constitutional right.

However, I am quite sure a number of CORD politicians and their supporters indulge in proud recollections of their time in high school. No doubt some even participated in strikes and maybe even destroyed property. This is what brings about the arrogance we see where our opposition attempts to hold an entire nation to ransom by threatening chaos, in order to achieve a political goal.

This is the same ideology behind the fact that over 70 schools across the country have experienced acts of violence and destruction of property in the last two months.

In true form, aping the petty example displayed by opposition politicians, the students have incinerated their schools over reasons like not being allowed to watch football on TV.

Just like the political leadership, the children have resorted to lawlessness and nihilism in order to make a short-term gain of going home to “relax”.

We see the same in the sort of machinations Raila Odinga is now engaging in; after inciting demonstrations that resulted in violence, arson and property destruction, he has now set about disrupting the very same dialogue process he was demanding. Even with the sacrifices members of the public have made, Raila will not be satisfied; he will routinely engage in personalised attacks on Issack Hassan.

He will also continue to give ultimatums and sustain the ever-present public threat that he will call his followers back to the streets, for certainly violent demonstrations.

The National Assembly Education Committee is now contemplating reintroducing caning in schools as a deterrent to arson, in a new bill they are working on.

If the answer to prevent violence and arson that in many cases has led to the deaths of students is in caning the students, why not apply the same reasoning to violent politics? It’s time to consider a bill that directly applies harsh repercussions for blatant and grievous politics that is hinged on anti-social behaviour.

We can no longer sit idly by while the entire country and especially future generations are affected this way.